User:Solchadwick

Project 4: Cartography of Complex Systems & the Anthropocene: How is technology linked to economic, political and ecological wicked problems and human-made catastrophes? Where is a line out? How to break the feedback loops? How is the supply chain linked to the device you are working with? Pick a problem or issue to analyze and engage with a complex ecological system. This is a visual mapping assignment, which should be accompanied by a text of max 1000 words. DEADLINE: 2 November

Final project you will present your research question, your planning, and a conceptual and technical experiment for a final project that will be included in a self-organized stand-alone presentation in December 2018. You will intensely explore and develop over the last 6 weeks to present in the end term exhibition.

Project 3

From Devices to systems

The project started orientated around the wireless home phone with a plan to use the receivers and broadcasting apparatus within handsets on a more local scale as a means for electronics within a household to communicate. However after a bit of research into the practicalities and the prospect of having the dissect more than one electronic device interest cooled. There was also this feeling of waste as the phone had been purchased from a local second-hand store and likely more materials and household goods would have to be obtained to fulfil the project. With this in mind, a more economical and resourcefully sourced item was found around my room.

Looking around my room the natural progression was the mountain of old smoke detectors on the side.

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Project 2

CalmCat

by Monika Sumauskaite, Vilius Vaura, Sol Chadwick




A jacket created to calm down a stressed-out cat. When the cat, wearing this jacket, meows anxiously or an increase of a heartbeat is detected, straps tightness and applies gentle pressure on the belly of the cat, stimulating specific acupressure points, that are proven to have calming effects.

Acupressure points



It is known that acupressure techniques can help to relax and overcome stress in humans and animals, like cats. There are multiple bumps on the inside of the jacket to stimulate those points when the cat is stressed. [1][2]

Sound/Heartbeat activation



The tightening of the jacket could be activated in a few different ways. The technology could use sound/voice recognition, that would be able to distinguish a stressful meow.
Or a heartbeat sensor could be used. Normal cats pulse varies from 140 to 220 beats per minute. An integrated heartbeat sensor would detect its rise and activate the straps.

Self lacing/tightening technology



The Calm Cat jacked would include a self-tightening, “cat activated” straps. The technology could work on similar principles as Nikes or Back to the Futures self-lacing shoes.